JAMMU, July 30, 2026 – In a major move to streamline urban development and ensure transparency, the Housing and Urban Development Department has officially notified a uniform fee structure for building permissions across the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory. This directive puts an end to the varying and inconsistent fee regimes previously imposed by different Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Development Authorities.
According to the new government order, a standardized building permission fee of ₹80 per square metre will be charged for residential buildings, including housing colonies. For commercial, public/semi-public (PSP), industrial, and other special category buildings, the fee is set at ₹270 per square metre. Furthermore, a fixed rate of ₹150 per square metre will apply to all mixed-use buildings.
The government has also outlined a mandatory ‘Malba Security’ deposit, fixed at a lump sum of ₹3,000 for residential constructions and ₹10,000 for all other categories. In compounding cases, an additional fee equivalent to 40% of the applicable building permit fee for the respective land use will be levied on top of the standard charges. Notably, all religious buildings have been completely exempted from the building permission fee.
Authorities noted that the previous system, where different ULBs and Development Authorities levied varying fees for similar building categories, created inconsistency, public grievances, and procedural ambiguity.
This new uniform fee structure is universally applicable across all Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, Municipal Committees, and Development Authorities in J&K, regardless of location. The fees will be calculated based on the total permissible or approved built-up area in square metres, as governed by the Jammu & Kashmir Unified Building Bye-Laws, 2021.
To ensure strict compliance, the notified fee schedule will be mandatorily integrated into the Online Building Permission System (OBPS) and Auto-DCR platforms. The government order strictly prohibits any Urban Local Body or Development Authority from revising, enhancing, reducing, or altering these building permission fees without prior approval from the Housing and Urban Development Department.
Published by True Roots Media Network